Mahan, 29, is the first U.S. player to claim the title
since Tiger Woods won for a third time in 2008. Today’s final
was the first between a European and an American since Steve
Stricker defeated Pierre Fulke of Sweden in the title match 11
years ago.

Mahan’s first win on the PGA Tour came at the Travelers
Championship in 2007. He also won the Phoenix Open and
Bridgestone Invitational two years ago.

McIlroy was seeking to become the fifth European and second
golfer from Northern Ireland after Darren Clarke in 2000 to win
the World Match Play title. A victory for McIlroy would have
been the third straight for the U.K. at the event, which was won
by Englishman Donald and Ian Poulter the past two years.

McIlroy, at 22 years, nine months and 22 days, was seeking
to become the second-youngest golfer to top the Official World
Golf Ranking after Woods, who was 21 years, five months and 17
days old when he first achieved the feat on June 15, 1997.